Cricket question

Wrath · 07-25-03, 06:34 PM

I am getting my first lizard next week, and I am told that he eats about 30 crickets a week. I have never dealt with crickets (or lizards) before, so I apologize for the lame questions.

Where can I keep them? I don't want to go to the store every few days. From reading other posts it seems that most people get a batch of them and use them for a while, or breed them.

I don't think I can handle a cricket community just yet, so if I just get enought to last a week or two, how do I house them?

This is so foreign to me...or do most people just buy the frozen ones?

CDN-Cresties · 07-25-03, 06:41 PM

I house mine in a plastic critter keeper that you can buy at the pet store. You can also use rubbermaids containers with a screen lid on the top or a aquarium. Its all up to you. Check out this link, it may help you out.
Good Luck
http://www.reptilerascals.com/cricketcare.html

-Steve-

P.S. what lizard are you getting???

Wrath · 07-25-03, 06:49 PM

Thanks! How many do you buy at a time?

I'm getting a Sudan Plated Lizard. I became obsessed, it's a long story. But I finally found one! He's about 9 weeks old, and he's being shipped to me next week! I have a rosy and a ball, so this is my first lizard. It's so exciting, but a little frustrating because I don't know the first thing about crickets, or worms, or anything. Thank god for ssnakess, the petstores are no help.

CDN-Cresties · 07-25-03, 07:02 PM

Usually i buy 100 at a time. Yea i agree pet shops are no help. After a while, you'll figure out your lizards feeding habits, then you'll know how many crix you need to buy.
Congrats on you're future Sudan Plated Lizard and Good Luck

-Steve-

Mr. Gray · 07-25-03, 10:26 PM

I'm pretty new to this whole business as well. I find that crickets are very strange to keep. What i did was iw ent to the store and i got a large "kritter keeper" and i keep them in that. I get about 3 dozen a week for my 3 leapord geckos. I keep all the crickets in the thing with some egg carton for them to hide in (paper towl rolls work well too.) and then i leave them a cap full of cricket water (which you can buy at a pet store, looks like jello) and i put in cricket food. To take them out i hvae a plastic tub that used to be used for popcorn. I take a roll and shake out the contents into the tub, and usually get the number i need then dump the rest back in. I then use a small plastic tube with a lid and a bottom to collect the crickets i need then powder them as needed and dump em in.

meow_mix450 · 07-26-03, 11:27 AM

o i thought it would be a good question to put in this theard but what do u people mean when u gut load this crix??? i dont kno if im right but do u let the crix's eat as much as they want??

HeatherRose · 07-26-03, 01:52 PM

Gut-loading means feeding the crickets a good diet with lots of calcium and such, just before (24 hours?) you feed them to your herps...you are what you eat after all...mine eat a mix of calcium-cricket feed, freezedried bloodworms and other fish food, and carrots.

Wrath · 07-26-03, 02:24 PM

Am I to expect a lot of escapees? LOL I'm not telling my mom that I'm getting a lizard. She hates my snakes and never goes into my room anyway. I figure she doesnt need to know, and she won't even notice my addition. HOWEVER, crickets all over the house, she may notice.

"Gee, must be some sort of cricket infestation!!" :medwhistl

meow_mix450 · 07-26-03, 02:33 PM

lol good luck hope she doesnt findo out :P

Batdad · 07-26-03, 02:37 PM

If you go with the rubbermaid container option (Cheaper

), cut a panel out of the top and glue (hot melt glue works well) a piece of screen over the hole to keep them in. Use the metal screen, not the fibreglass or plastic stuff, the crickets can chew through it

.

HeatherRose · 07-26-03, 02:42 PM

I have a Kritter Keeper for mine, and I swear they still get out by osmosis.....I'm down in the basement though, so none ever get upstairs

Bartman · 07-26-03, 02:52 PM

feed your lizard worms instead of crickets so you dont have to house them. If you want crickets than just keep them in a little critter cage like crestie said and they will be fine. You also have to soak a spung so the crickets can drink. Dont make the spung to wet though because it will stink up the cage. You also need to give them food everyonce in a while but thats about it for housing them. some pet stores sell cricket food, or you could jsut use carrots. Good look with ur new lizard

bborysow · 07-26-03, 06:02 PM

I keep 1000's of crix for serveral weeks at a time between shipments. I've found feeding them apples and oranges, along with chick mash or crushed fish food works great. I don't have the mess of rancid water dishes or sponges. The Crix get all their water from the fresh fruit. I use a couple of scoops of dry peat moss at the bottom of their tub. Very important to keep the crix enclousure dry, peat moss does that well. And probably most important, I have a small fan circulating air through the tub. Moisture/ humidity will kill your crix.

Wrath · 07-26-03, 06:18 PM

Do you think I can keep them in the garage? Or do I have to keep them in the house? I don't think it gets THAT hot in there, there is adequate ventilation, but it is summer.....it's ranging about 95 degrees maximum here in the daytime I would guess.

lordkovacs · 07-28-03, 02:49 PM

just make sure your crickets are "gut loaded" with cricket food or carrots, etc. dust them with cricket dust once a week for nutrition. also, put a shallow lid with cotton batting on it and spray the cotton with water for them to drink.
cheers,
MIKE